Skier & Associates is proud to announce that founder Andrew M. Skier has been selected to attend the National Federal Defenders’ Trial Skills Academy in San Diego, California. This prestigious week-long program brings federal practitioners from around the country to work together on all aspects of preparing and trying criminal cases.
I was recently contacted by a reporter from the Wall Street Journal who was working on a story about inmates in state prisons having their identities stolen while they are incarcerated. I was quoted in his article and there is a brief discussion of United States v. Bryant Thompson, a case I tried in the Federal Court for the Middle District of Alabama a little over a year ago.
A recent article in the New York Times suggests that the US Supreme Court may soon review state laws that allow judges (who are mostly elected in partisan elections) to override juries recommendations and sentence capital murder defendants to the death penalty. I personally welcome this, as I have felt some unease with the current scheme for some time.
If you find yourself in need of a criminal defense lawyer, your first inclination might be to hire a lawyer that makes you feel the best and who makes promises or assurances of a particular result or outcome. THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT SELECTING A LAWYER.
In the increasingly competitive legal market, some lawyers will exaggerate their experience or expertise, will make promises, or guarantee results in order to get your money. The most important thing to remember is that any lawyer who makes a guarantee about the outcome of a criminal case is stupid, lying, or both.
When you meet with potential lawyers, ask yourself these questions:
Congress has approved an amendment to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines that drastically decreases the punishment for those convicted of many drug offenses. Importantly, Congress made these changes retroactive, meaning that most people presently serving a federal sentence who qualify can petition the Court to have their sentence reduced to the new guideline level.
So you understand the Pardon and Parole Board’s authority to grant parole or pardons. How do we get them to consider your case? The answer depends on whether you (or a loved one) is seeking a pardon or parole.
Appearing before the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles (“The Parole Board”) can be a dizzying, intimidating experience for those unfamiliar with the Board’s procedures. This is the first of a series of posts designed to remove some of the mystery from the process.
What is the Parole Board and what do they do?
News and sports television, radio, and other media have been buzzing in recent days about what seems like an epidemic of domestic violence that is suddenly coming to the public’s attention. This is largely due to several high-profile professional athletes being accused of abuse of their spouses or children. We have even seen repercussions of this locally as a prominent member of Montgomery, Alabama’s legal community has recently been arrested and charged with an incident of domestic violence; as of this writing, calls for his resignation from his position are increasing.
What does Alabama’s law say about what constitutes “domestic violence” and what can result from a conviction for this offense?
I often tell friends and potential clients that the only “free” legal advice I ever give out is that if you are ever arrested or questioned by law enforcement, keep your mouth shut. Nothing good can come from making a statement. If you are already under arrest, you aren’t going to “talk your way out of it,” and if you aren’t, it’s not your responsibility to assist law enforcement in building a case against you.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of undergoing police questioning, there are some things to remember:
I had the pleasure this morning of appearing on WSFA TV’s Central Alabama Business Break to discuss Alabama’s new expungement law and AlabamaExpungement.com.
Click the link to see the video:
http://www.wsfa.com/clip/10453103/business-break-alabama-expungement
Alabama Pardon and Expungements Blog